Finding Freedom Through Surrender When we accept the first principle of recovery and step out of denial into reality, a humbling truth becomes clear: there are very few things we truly control. This realization can feel frightening at first, but it is actually the beginning of freedom. Admitting our powerlessness does not mean giving up. It means stopping the exhausting attempt to control what we were never meant to manage on our own. When we acknowledge our limits, we no lon

Facing the Truth Is the First Step Toward Healing Before we can take the first step in recovery, we must first face and admit our denial. God makes it clear that we cannot heal a wound by pretending it doesn’t exist : “They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious.” — Jeremiah 6:14 Denial keeps us stuck. It delays healing and deepens pain. The acrostic DENIAL  helps us understand what happens when we refuse to face the truth. D — Disables Our Feelings When w

Genesis 20  records a significant moment that took place shortly after Abraham moved to Gerar. What makes this story striking is that Abraham repeats the same mistake he made 24 years earlier in Egypt (Genesis 12:10–20). The chapter unfolds in two main parts: Abraham’s deception  about Sarah being his sister, and God’s protective intervention (vv. 1–7). Abimelech’s rebuke , Abraham’s explanation, and God’s gracious resolution (vv. 8–18). Some scholars who follow the Documenta

Choice 7: Maintaining Momentum – The Growth Choice Reserve a daily time with God for self-examination, Bible reading, and prayer in order to know God and His will for my life and to gain the power to follow His will. Recovery doesn’t end with insight. It requires maintenance. If we don’t stay alert, we can easily drift back into old self-defeating patterns. This drift is called relapse . The Predictable Pattern of Relapse Phase 1: Complacency We get comfortable. One day we st

Genesis 19 is one of the most sobering chapters in Scripture. It reveals the depth of human brokenness, the seriousness of sin, and—at the same time—the incredible mercy of God toward those who fear Him. It is not a chapter written to shame people but to awaken us, protect us, and draw us closer to the heart of God. 1. The Darkness of Sodom The city of Sodom had descended into complete moral corruption. Its culture normalized violence, exploitation, and sexual immorality. Sin

Mania  is an excitement of psychotic proportions that shows itself through mental and physical hyperactivity, disorganization of behavior, and an elevated mood that feels impossible to slow down. In the realm of emotional and spiritual growth, mania is not always the clinical diagnosis we hear about in psychiatry. Sometimes it shows up in subtle, everyday ways — especially among people who are trying hard not  to need anything. Many people stay intensely busy because slowing

Evaluate all my relationships. Offer forgiveness to those who have hurt me and make amends for harm I’ve done to others — except when doing so would harm them or others. “Happy are those who are merciful to others.”“Happy are those who work for peace.” Choice 6 is about relational repair . Today we courageously look at the broken places between us and other people — not to judge ourselves, not to regret our past — but to evaluate  our patterns honestly so we can heal. This ch

Reaction formation  is a defense mechanism in which a person behaves in the exact opposite  way of what they truly feel, want, or need. It’s not usually intentional — it is an unconscious strategy the mind uses to protect itself from feelings that feel dangerous, shameful, or too vulnerable to acknowledge. What Reaction Formation Looks Like Someone who feels deeply lonely may present themselves as fiercely independent.S omeone who longs for connection may preach against “need

The Transformation Choice Voluntarily submit to every change God wants to make in my life and humbly ask Him to remove my character defects. Many of us have lived the cycle: You start a diet… and then fall off. You leave an unhealthy relationship… then drift into another one. You quit smoking… then pick it up again. You stay away from gambling… and then fall right back in. We return to the old patterns we hate, not because we want to, but because our autopilot is still progra

Genesis 17 is one of the most important covenant chapters in Scripture. Here, God reveals Himself to Abram with a new name, gives Abram and Sarai new names, renews His covenant, and commands circumcision as a sign of belonging to Him. This chapter is full of identity, promise, and the transforming grace of God. 1. God Reveals Himself as El Shaddai (God Almighty) “ I am El Shaddai ; walk before Me and be blameless.” (Gen. 17:1) This is the first time God introduces Himself as

Projection is a psychological defense mechanism in which we attribute our own thoughts, feelings, or unmet needs to someone else. Instead of acknowledging what is happening inside of us, we “project” it outward onto others. For example: A person who feels inadequate may accuse others of judging them. A caretaker may meet their own needs vicariously by projecting them onto others, rather than honestly owning their desires or limitations. Projection is subtle, and most of the t

✨ CHOICE 4: Openly Examine and Confess My Faults “Openly examine and confess my faults to myself, to God, and to someone I trust.” A pure heart is a free heart—a heart no longer weighed down by guilt, shame, or the secrets we’ve tried to hide. Purity isn’t perfection. It’s honesty. It’s courage. It’s the willingness to stop running from our past and finally bring everything into the light. Choice 4 is where true freedom begins. ⭐ What Guilt Does to Us Guilt slowly destroys us

Genesis 16 is a sobering chapter that shows what happens when we try to fulfill God’s promises by our own strength instead of trusting His timing. 1. When We Don’t Wait on God, Pain Follows  (Genesis 16:1–3) Sarai believed God had “kept her from having children,” yet instead of trusting His promise, she chose to act in human wisdom. She used Hagar, her servant, as a tool rather than honoring her as a person created by God. Abram also agreed to this plan, even though he knew i

Earnestly Believe That God Exists, That I Matter to Him, and That He Has the Power to Help Me Recover “Happy are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”  — Matthew 5:4 “For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.”  — Philippians 2:13 Understanding Step 2 No matter how hard we try to keep everything under control, we eventually discover that we are powerless to control our tendency to do wrong and that our lives are unmanageab

Summary Genesis 14 is a chapter of both political warfare and spiritual revelation . When Lot is captured in a conflict among kings, Abram’s response becomes a model of faith-driven courage , integrity , and dependence on God’s justice  rather than human reward. In rescuing Lot, Abram shows what it means to walk in covenant loyalty — not only toward God, but toward people, even those who have made unwise choices. His encounter with Melchizedek, the priest-king of Salem, fores

🌿 Celebrate Recovery: Step 1 The First Choice — Realize I’m Not God “I admit that I am powerless to control my tendency to do the wrong thing and that my life is unmanageable.” “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” — Matthew 5:3 (NIV) 💡 Introduction: Facing the Truth Part of our human nature is to resist change until our pain exceeds our fear of change. We deny, minimize, or ignore our pain until it becomes unbearable—and only then do we fin

Scripture Reflection After the famine and his humbling experience in Egypt, Abram returned to Bethel — “the place where he had first built an altar to the Lord” (13:4). Here, he called upon the name of the Lord again — not as a perfect man, but as one who had fallen, repented, and come home. This moment marked spiritual renewal, a return to the altar where his journey of faith had begun. Even the most faithful stumble. But true faith is not the absence of failure — it’s the w

“Let us build a tower whose top reaches the heavens.” This phrase reveals humanity’s deepest pride — a desire to ascend, to become like God Himself. It echoes the arrogance of Satan who said, “I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God” (Isaiah 14:13). But God warns, “Will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades” (Matthew 11:23). No human plan — no matter how ambitious — can stand against God’s divine purpose. The builders of Ba

Scripture: “But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark…” (Genesis 8:1, NIV) “Then God said to Noah, ‘Come out of the ark…’” (Genesis 8:15–16, NIV) Reflection The Hebrew word for “remembered” here — זָכַר (zakar) — means far more than simply recalling something forgotten. It signifies holding someone close to one’s heart, continually mindful, even in silence. God never forgot Noah. Through the chaos of the flood and the lon

Scripture: Genesis 7:1–24 Genesis 7 describes one of the most dramatic acts of divine judgment and salvation — the great flood. Yet beneath the surface of destruction lies a story of obedience, faith, and God’s faithful preservation of life. Forty Days and Nights of Rain — A Symbol of Trial and Refinement The number forty often represents testing and refinement in Scripture. Israel wandered forty years in the wilderness (Numbers 14:33), Moses spent forty years in Midian (Acts